For the Love of Lloyd
by AnneAquila
Summary: Kai's been working up the courage to ask Lloyd out for a while. But there's someone out there who is just as desperate about gaining the Green Ninja's affections. Objectively speaking, Kai knew that wooing Lloyd was going to be difficult from the get go (given that Lloyd was Oblivious with a capital O). But this? This was on a whole other level of impossible.


**A/N:** Finally, it's ready! I've been working up the courage to write Lego Ninjago for so long, and I've finally done it!

 **P.S.** This is a shameless excuse to write Greenflame, with copious amounts of jealous Kai. (Shut up, I know you all want it.)

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 **Chapter 1: Planning and Plotting**

 **I**

Today was going to be a good day, Kai decided.

He was going to have an amazing time training with his friends - not getting into trouble over Cole's pranks and not getting stuck with the worst chores Misako assigned them. He was not going to get frustrated if he saw Jay kiss his sister, and he was definitely not ending up with extra meditation hours from Sensei Wu for his so called lack of emotional control.

He was just going to have a normal day, training, goofing off with his buddies, fight the occasional enemy or two and maybe actually work up the courage to ask Lloyd out on a date without looking desperately uncool.

Yeah. That was the plan.

And _no one_ was going to spoil it for him.

 **II**

Meanwhile, on the other side of Ninjago, Cheng's Noodle Emporium sat drowned in darkness. The sun had barely risen, but figures were already moving around inside.

'I don't get it. I had the night shift. Why can't you sweep and buss the tables this morning?'

'Because I'm the Boss here Dareth, responsible for handing out your paycheck. Now shut up and do what you're told.'

Dareth, still clad in his wrinkly brown pajamas, sighed. He was accustomed to the harsh words of his employer, but it didn't make them any less hard to hear. He wished she could be friendlier sometimes, but that would asking for a lot. She already put up with his impromptu rock 'n' roll renditions and let him sleep on the more comfortable bed in the attic.

With a resigned sigh, he picked up the broom and dustpan and headed over to the service counters. He glanced back at the girl sitting by the shop window, wondering what on earth she was thinking about.

Despite her less than friendly exterior, Skylor never shirked her jobs. Ever since her father had been banished to the spirit realm, Skylor took her responsibilities seriously. She had single-handedly took on the management of the restaurant her father had established before being drawn into world domination, fighting and clawing her way through lawsuits and police threats. Dareth respected her for that, knowing how hard it was to overcome past misgivings and personal loss to prevent the present from falling apart.

The Skylor he knew kept everyone's noses to the grindstone, rising before the sun to clean and wipe down the (already clean) furniture. She usually spent the rest of the day shopping for ingredients, negotiating with wholesalers, conducting random taste checks and interrogating the delivery men. She cross examined the logs in the account books and meticulously counted out the previous day's earnings during her lunch break. Free time saw her diligently mastering her ninja skills in the back yard. She did so much, it made Dareth feel even lazier than usual.

Needless to say, it was strange to find her sitting by the window, lost in thought. She had been extra snappy the past few days, brooding away in a corner of the room. Occasionally, she jotted down a couple words in her little black notebook before going back to her previous pensive state.

'What're you thinking about?'

Skylor said nothing, gazing far away into the distance. The rising sun made her coppery red hair glow like burnished glass. Her eyes, usually a fiery amber, now gleamed like fractured rubies. The light smoothened her weathered features, sloping over and softening the harsh planes of her face. Her intimidating profile became a little more humane.

'Have you ever liked someone, Dareth?'

The question was sudden and unexpected.

'Well, I've had a couple crushes. Back in high school…Bit embarrassing to think about, really. Why do you ask?'

'I'm making a plan. Formulating a plot.'

Her answer threw him off a little.

For a second there, he'd thought she was going to confide in him.

Apparently not.

He was just about to ask her what she was planning that required so much of her attention (it obviously couldn't be the grocery bills), when she got up and swiftly snapped the book shut. There was a curious little half-smile on her face as she murmured something under her breath.

' _Zero Hour.'_

 **III**

She's done everything she could. Thought out every possible response. Agonized over every possible action.

In the end, she could only do one thing - plan her part down to the very last detail.

She sighed, briefly letting her thoughts wonder. Green eyes - like emeralds. Moss on the forest floor. New leaves. Hair that looked impossibly soft, the colour of beach sand and ripe corn. That secret smile, a soft tilt of lips. Gi covering up slender bones and lean strength, hands wielding spheres of celestial green and cosmic gold. But most of all - his compassion. The wisdom in his eyes, the quiet understanding in his words. His optimism, endlessly striving for the greater good of the people he protected.

It drew her in every time.

She was just another moon pulled into his gravitational orbit, and yet - she wondered.

Wondered if they could be something more.

She fingered the spine of her precious black book, thought of the masterful plan that she's penned within its pages.

She'd done everything she could. Her die had been cast.

Now, it was Fate's turn to roll.

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 **A/N:** Penny for your thoughts? Read and review!


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